Grieving-Miles
by Steph-Schell
Summary: Ben finds his brother on a street corner.


**A/N: **We're all upset about cancellation so I brought Ben to comfort us.

* * *

Miles didn't look up as someone stopped in front of him. "Spare some change?"

"I've got something better." He looked up to see Ben in front of him, holding out a sandwich. "Turkey and cheese with bacon. Like mom used to make you."

Miles looked between him and the sandwich for moment before taking the baggie. He bit in and frowned slightly. "Mom didn't make this."

"No she didn't," Ben agreed, sitting next to his brother. "But are you really in a position to refuse food?" He gestured to the piece of cardboard sitting in Miles' guitar case that read "homeless vet" in sharpie.

"Could use some mustard," Miles declared as he continued to eat slowly. He glanced at his brother. "You're going to ruin those pants."

"Probably," Ben agreed. "But I'll buy another pair."

Miles grunted as he kept eating. "Mom tell you to look for me?"

"I came looking for you because you're my brother and I love you."

"That's a stupid reason."

"Family's the best reason in the world to do anything." Miles snorted. "It wasn't your fault you know."

"Hell it wasn't. Bass and I were even closer than the two of us. It was my job to watch over him. I didn't and now he's dead."

"You saved another man's life."

"I don't care about anyone's life except Sebastian Monroe's. And because I had to be a hero and go get that injure man, my best friend is dead."

"Begging on a street corner and drowning yourself in whiskey isn't going to bring him back you know."

"I'm a Marine, Ben. I know what death means better than you do."

"I'm sure you do. I'm just wondering if you know what it means in regards to Bass." Miles glared at his brother. "Come home with me."

"I don't have a home," Miles retorted. "I was discharged from base housing and I couldn't keep up rent on my apartment."

"I meant to my home," Ben explained. "Stay with me and Rachel and the kids. Charlie would love to see you again."

"I shouldn't be around people."

"Around people is exactly where you should be. You come stay with my family, start going to the VA like you were supposed to, get back on your feet…you might even meet a woman. It'll do you good to rejoin the human race."

Miles hated to do it but he pulled out his trump card. "I slept with Rachel. A lot. Even after you two were married."

"I know."

"And yet you still want me around."

"Of course I want you around, you're my brother. And one doesn't have anything to do with the other. Am I upset that you slept with my wife? Yes. Am I going to exile you to poverty with winter coming on? Hell no. You come home with me, get back on your feet and then we'll deal with the cheating issue."

"You are a strange human being."

"Not really." Ben was going to say more when a curly haired mutt came wandering up to them. "Yours?"

"His name is Seabass. Don't judge me."

"I would never." Ben watched his brother feed the dog with what was left of the sandwich and then pull him close. "He's going to need protection from the cold too. And Charlie would like having a dog around the house. She'd really pamper him."

Miles hugged the dog close. "Not going."

Ben knew he'd said the wrong thing. The dog was Miles' new Bass and Ben had just implied someone else was going to take over caring for it. Not a smart move. Miles needed something of Bass to hold on to. That's why he still wore the silver star Bass had gotten after his death under his many layers, right next to his heart. "I'm surprised you managed to find your own service dog out here."

"He's not a service dog, he's a mutt."

"He's helping you deal with loss. That makes him a service dog."

"Look, just tell mom I'm doing fine and I'll write to her eventually. I just need some time on my own."

"You've had too much time on your own if you ask me." Ben reached out to pull his baby brother into a hug. "Mourning him doesn't make him go away and getting better doesn't mean forgetting him. Bass would have wanted you to keep moving on."

"You don't know that," Miles whispered viciously, a sure sign that he was breaking. "You don't know anything."

"I do know that because he was my friend too," Ben murmured.

The sobs were quiet at first. If it weren't for his shoulder's shaking, Ben would have no idea his brother was crying. Gradually they got louder and louder until his entire body was in on the act. Ben just quietly held him while he grieved. His brother needed to know that someone out there still cared for him.

Eventually Miles pulled away and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. Seabass began licking up what he didn't catch. When he was under control, Miles stopped the dog with a touch to the nose. "You're not going to tell anyone about that are you?"

"There's nothing unmanly about grieving a loss," Ben replied. "But if you really want me to keep it a secret, I will."

"I do," Miles muttered. "Ben…I wasn't good with people before Bass went."

"You don't need to be now. You just need to be willing to try."

"I am," he mumbled. Ben got to his feet and reached out to help Miles up. Instead Miles handed him Seabass. "Give me a second."

"Take your time," Ben agreed.

Miles turned to his guitar case and collected the money in there. Barely enough for a meal at the shelter. He was really on his last legs. With a sigh, he closed the case and looked at Ben. "Hold this til I get on my feet?"

Ben gave him a warm smile as he switched Seabass to under his arm. "As long as you need, brother."

Miles got to his feet, taking Seabass and his case from Ben as he did so. "Let's go home," he decided.

"Things will get better," Ben insisted as they walked. "Eventually. Besides, there's a new woman working at the VA. She's pretty cute. Name's Nora Clayton."

"Ben you're married."

"And I'd like you to keep your hands off my wife so I'll introduce you to anyone I can find. And this Nora woman is very much your type."

"Suppose it's as good a reason as any to go to the VA."

Ben chuckled. "Whatever works, brother. Whatever works."


End file.
